Adenium Plant Named &#39;LEELADE203&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Adenium  cultivar named ‘LEELADE203’ is disclosed, characterized by unique large, double pink flowers. The now variety is a  Adenium , typically produced as an indoor ornamental plant.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES

Adenium obesum

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘LEELADE203’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This application relates to a new cultivar of Adenium obesum. The newvariety is the product of a planned breeding program. The new varietyoriginated as a seedling from the crossing of the unpatented,proprietary seed parent Adenium obesum ‘VCKP9’ with the unpatented,proprietary pollen parent referred to as Adenium obesum ‘VKGGW9’. Thecrossing was made by the inventor in a non commercial nursery inBangkok, Thailand during 2006.

The new variety was first selected by the inventor, Anong Leelachaikul,a citizen of Thailand, in June 2009, at the same nursery in Bangkok,Thailand. After identifying, the new variety as a potentially,interesting selection, the inventor continued confidential testing andpropagation of ‘LEELADE203’, assessing stability of the uniquecharacteristics of this variety.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘LEELADE203’ was firstperformed in October 2010, at a commercial nursery in Bangkok, Thailandby taking a nodal cutting from the new variety and grafting that to arootstock plant. The rootstock plants are started from seed, and areunnamed, unpatented varieties of Adenium obesum. Access to all plaitswas restricted, as plants were kept in a greenhouse not open to thepublic. Through subsequent propagation by vegetative cuttings, multiplegenerations have been reproduced, which have shown that the uniquefeatures of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘LEELADE203’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘LEELADE203’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘LEELADE203’ as a new and distinct Adeniumcultivar:

1. Pink flowers arranged in a double whorl.

2. Large flower diameter.

PARENT COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘LEELADE203’ are similar to the seed parent,Adenium ‘VCKP9’ in most horticultural characteristics. The new variety,however, produces double flowers whereas the seed parent produces singleflowers.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘LEELADE203’ are similar to the pollenparent, Adenium ‘VKGGW9’ in most horticultural characteristics. The newvariety, however, produces flowers in a different color of pink, thanthe pollen parent ‘VKGGW9’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color atypical plant of ‘LEELADE203’ grafted outdoors in Thailand and grown ina commercial greenhouse in Honselersdijk, the Netherlands. This plant isapproximately 9 months old from the graft, shown planted in 15 cmcontainer. The plant has been grown according to the details in thefollowing paragraph. The photograph was taken using conventionaltechniques and although colors may appear different from actual colorsdue to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventionalphotographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart 2001, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe ‘LEELADE203’ plants grown according to thefollowing protocols.

Taking place in a commercial nursery, outdoors in Bangkok, Thailand,rootstock is grown from seeds. Seeds are planted and grown for 12-14months. After that, heads are taken off the rootstock plants and theplants are grafted together with the selected variety.

Grafting is done by means of taking a nodal cutting from the candidatevariety and placing that on top of the cut of the rootstock plant.Immediately after that, the top of the plant is covered by a layer ofplastic and tied down by a rubber band. The plastic covers the actualgraft entirely.

Rootstock plants during the first few weeks after seeding are grownunder shade, and after that they are grown in Thailand in full sun.Stock plants of the candidate variety, resulting in the nodal cuttingare also grown in Thailand in full sun.

During and until 1-2 weeks after grafting, plants are placed in agreenhouse that has both shade cloth and overhead plastic. This protectsthe grafted plants against the sun and the rain. After that, the graftedplants are placed in full sun again.

Three to four months after grafting, the grafted plants are cut back andshipped to the Netherlands. In the Netherlands, the plants continue togrow for 3-5 months, after which they are sold as flowering plant.Therefore, counted from the date of grafting, it takes 6-9 months toproduce a finished flowering plant.

In Thailand the plants grow under natural conditions, with temperaturesranging approximately from 10° c to 40° c, and very bright sunlight. Inthe Netherlands, the plants are grown in a greenhouse with average daytemperature about 26 degrees Celsius and average night temperature about22 degrees Celsius, un-shaded, to allow as much natural light aspossible.

Measurements and numerical values below represent averages of typicalplant types.

-   Botanical classification: Adenium obesum ‘LEELADE203’-   Propagation:    -   -   Root description.—The plant described is grafted and does            not have its own roots for description.-   Plant:    -   -   Caudex description.—Diameter: Average: 5.0 cm Height:            Average: 14.0 cm Color: Greyed-green, near RHS 194A and 196B            Texture: Smooth, very slightly glossy.        -   Plant spread.—Approximately 17.4 cm.        -   Plant height.—Top of flowering plane, average: 27.4 cm. Top            of foliar plane, average: 22.1 cm.        -   Growth rate.—Moderate.        -   Length of primary stem.—Approximately 1.5 cm.        -   Diameter of primary stem.—Approximately 1.6 cm.        -   Stem color.—Greyed-green, in between near RHS 191B and 198A.        -   Stem texture.—Smooth, very slightly glossy.        -   Lateral branches.—Quantity: 2 (after pinching) Length: 5.7            cm Diameter: 0.6 cm Color: Green, near RHS 143B and 143C,            older stems colored greyed-green, in between near RHS 191B            and 198A. Texture/Pubescence: Smooth, moderately glossy.        -   Internode length.—Approximately 0.5 cm.        -   Age of plant described.—9 months from grafting.-   Foliage:    -   -   Leaf.—Arrangement: Alternate Quantity: Approximately 8 per            lateral branch. Average Length: Approximately 7.4 cm.            Average Width: Approximately 2.2 cm. Shape of blade:            Oblanceolate Apex: Abruptly acute Base: Narrow cuneate            Attachment: Sessile Margin: Entire Texture of top surface:            Smooth, glossy. Texture of bottom surface: Smooth, matte.            Pubescence: No pubescence. Color: Young foliage upper side:            Green, near RHS 143A Young foliage under side: Green, near            RHS 138B Mature foliage upper side: Green, near RHS N137B            Mature foliage under side: Green, near RHS 138B Venation:            Type: Pinnate Venation color upper side: Greyed-green, near            RHS 191B Venation color under side: Greyed-green, near RHS            191 C Petiole: No petioles present, leaves sessile.-   Flowering characteristics:    -   -   Natural flowering season.—In Thailand, the plants flower all            year around, but during heavy rain periods, the plants do            drop most or all of their flowers. Therefore, especially            during the rainy seasons in Thailand, the plants will not            flower so heavily as during the dry seasons. In the            Netherlands, the plants will naturally flower most heavily            during periods of very heavy sun and long days, particularly            in July and August and to a lesser extent in June and            September.        -   Inflorescence type and habit.—Axillary compound cyme.        -   Flower longevity on plant.—Average: After fully opening the            flowers, the flowers will stay on the plant on average            between 5-10 days.        -   Quantity of flowers.—About 1 bud and 6 fully opened flowers            per plant, at one time.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: Approximately 17.6 cm. Height:            Approximately 12.1 cm.        -   Individual flower size.—Diameter: Average: 6.4 cm. Flower            tube length: Average: 3.5 cm. Flower tube diameter at distal            end: Average: 1.4 cm. Flower tube diameter at proximal end:            Average: 0.3 cm.        -   Petals.—Petal arrangement: Rotate Length from throat:            Average: 3.1 cm. Width: Average: 3.1 cm. Quantity: Average:            5 Texture: Smooth, slightly velvety, dull. Margin: Entire            Tip shape: Unequal emarginate Petaloids: Average: 10,            average length from throat: 3.1 cm, average width: 3.0 cm,            texture: smooth, slightly velvety, dull, margins entire, tip            shaped abruptly acute to rounded.        -   Color.—Petals: When opening: Upper surface: Red-purple, near            RHS N57B lighter towards the margins; near RHS N57D Lower            surface: Red-purple, near RHS 68C, base purple, near RHS 75C            Fully opened: Upper surface: Red-purple, near RHS N57C,            lighter towards the margins; near RHS N57D Lower surface:            Red-purple, near RHS 68D, base purple, near RHS 75C Flower            throat (inside): Red-purple, near RHS 58A Flower throat,            vein: Red-purple, near RHS 58A Flower tube (outside):            Greyed-white, near RHS 156D Flower tube, vein: Greyed-white,            near RHS 156C Fading Petals fading to: Red-purple, near RHS            N66B.        -   Color.—Petaloids: When opening: Upper surface: Red-purple,            near RHS N57C, lighter towards the margins; near RHS N57D            Lower surface: Red-purple, near RHS 68D, base purple; near            RHS 75C Fully opened: Upper surface: Red-purple, near RHS            N57C, lighter towards the margins; near RHS N57D Lower            surface: Red-purple, near RHS 68D, base purple, near RHS 75C            Fading Petaloids fading to: Red-purple, near RHS N66B.        -   Bud.—Shape: Oblanceolate Length: Average: 2.8 cm Diameter:            Average: 0.8 cm Color: Orange-white, near RHS 159D; top            red-purple, near RHS 59D.        -   Peduncle.—Length: Average: 1.0 cm. Diameter: Average;            0.4 cm. Color: Yellow-green, near RHS 144C Orientation:            Outward to upright Strength: Moderately strong.        -   Pedicel.—Length: Average: 1.7 cm. Diameter: Average: 0.3 cm.            Color: Yellow-green, near RHS 144D Orientation: Outward to            upright Strength: Moderately strong.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Average: 5 Shape: Narrow ovate            Length: Approximately 1.2 cm Width: Approximately 0.4 cm            Margin: Entire Texture: Smooth Color: Yellow-green, near RHS            145A.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamens.—Number: Average: 10 Filament length: Approximately            0.6 cm.        -   Anthers.—Shape: Linear Length: Approximately 2.6 cm Color:            White, near RHS N155A Pollen: Color: No pollen detected.        -   Pistil.—Number: Average: 1 Length: Approximately 1.7 cm            Style: Length: Approximately 1.65 cm Color: Yellow-green,            near RHS 145D Stigma: Shape: Club-shaped Color:            Yellow-green, near RHS 145B Ovary color: Yellow-green, near            RHS 144B.-   Other characteristics:    -   -   Disease resistance.—Good resistance to, the normal diseases            found in Adenium.        -   Drought tolerance and cold tolerance.—Normal for species,            USDA zone 10 and higher.        -   Fruit/seed production.—No fruits/seeds detected to date.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Adenium plantnamed ‘LEELADE203’ as herein illustrated and described.